Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy
by Firediva0
Summary: Written for the 366 Days of Writing Challenge. 1. Godric x Salazar, 2. Tom x Harry, 3. Lucius x Severus, 4. Rowena x Helga, 5. Draco x Luna, 6. Ron x Hermione, 7. Parvati x Lavender, 8. Tom x Harry, 9. {TBA}
1. Open (Godric x Salazar)

**Of Dusk and Dawn -** **366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Godric x Salazar**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **1\. Open**

Wind flows in from the window, chilling me with its icy touch. Across from me, Helga sits. Her hands are crossed delicately in her lap and her eyes are staring absently out of the window. The only sign of her unease is the relentless tapping of her foot against the carpet.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" she asks after a long while. Looking up from my paperwork, I grace her with a smile. It's fake, but that's all I can do for now.

"Salazar's going to be fine," I lie, "have you ever seen him fail?"

"No," she admits after a moment, "but things can always go wr-"

"Not with Salazar," I tell her gently. There's a crease in her forehead and frustration flashes in her eyes.

"Things _always_ go wrong with Salazar!" she bites out. For a moment, I'm taken aback. Helga is the nice one. She _doesn't_ snap. She must be more worried than I thought.

"Helga," I say tenderly. She looks at me, as if _daring_ me to lie to her. Fortunately for her, I can't bring myself to do so. Instead, I sigh and look out of the window.

"Look," I begin. "I don't know if everything's going to be okay, but all we can do is _trust_ Salazar. We have to trust that he'll be okay and that he'll bring back what we need."

Tears form in her eyes, and I get up from my chair to hug her. She sniffles and bows her head, her lithe shoulders shaking.

"I just want him to be okay," she confides. I rub small circles on her back, hoping that will help her calm down.

"It's going to be okay, Helga," I tell her. "In all the time that I've known Salazar, I've _never_ seen him fail."

Helga opens her mouth, as if to respond, but the door abruptly opens.

"Godric!" Rowena calls urgently. "Salazar was…!"

Everything in my head goes blank. Between Helga's screams and Rowena's panicking, I'm lost.

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

"This is where you found him?" I ask, Helga and I following Rowena. The normally icy witch nods, a flicker of concern flashing in her eyes.

"You don't understand, Godric," she tells me. "His eyes were lifeless and his skin was ashen. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought him dead."

"He's not, though?" Helga asks. At Rowena's nod, the shorter witch picks up the pace.

"Come on," she orders. "Salazar's not going to heal himself."

Nodding, Rowena and I hurry to acquiesce her. Gone are the tears that once graced her cheeks. Helga stands proudly in front of us, confidence glinting in her eyes. We turn several corridors and finally end up in the foyer. There, on the ground, Salazar lies. Like Rowena said earlier, his skin is a pale gray and his eyes are half-lidded. They flutter every so often and his chest sluggishly rises and falls. Helga doesn't miss a beat. She rushes to his side and frets over him, wandlessly summoning her medical kit. She sets to work, barking orders every so often. Rowena, ever the knowledgeable witch, has appointed herself as Helga's assistant.

At this point, I'm useless. I have no real background in healing. Rather than helping, I settle on Salazar's other side, gently holding his hand. I want him to know that I'm _here_ , want him to know that, even though I wasn't on his mission, I'm here _now_. As if hearing my thoughts, Salazar squeezes my hand slightly, his half-lidded green eyes connecting with mine.

 _"Stop thinking unnecessary thoughts."_

Salazar's words from the other day come to the forefront of my mind. Like then, he stares at me, his gaze heavy with intention. Merlin, how I want to. I want to stop thinking about the possibility that I almost lost him, want to stop thinking about how his hand had been open, as if waiting for me to grasp it.

I want to, but I can't. I almost lost him, lost _this._ It's killing me on the inside.

It's here, among Rowena, Helga, and Salazar's almost dead body, that I make a pledge.

"Never again," I vow quietly. Salazar looks at me, his eyes filled with sorrow. He knows what I'm going to say, knows how serious I am, and he wishes that I won't do this. For once, I can't do as he asks. "Will I allow you to reach this state. I _can't_ lose you."

He closes his eyes, resigning himself to my declaration. He knows that I'll put my life on the line to protect him, knows that I'll be overprotective, knows that I'll do _anything_ to protect him.

As they say, love can sometimes be the worst obsession. Unfortunately for Salazar, this obsession will not end. Around us, Helga and Rowena work quietly, each of them considering my words. We all know how this will end: …with my dead body.

I press a kiss to his temple, sealing our fate. A tear, innocent in nature, slowly falls down Salazar's cheek.

I ignore it.

* * *

 **Word Count: 855**


	2. Bond (Tom x Harry)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Tom x Harry**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **2\. Bond**

We're in our special place. The moon softly illuminates the sky, highlighting the twinkling stars surrounding it. Tom and I are laying on the ground, our black hair lost in a forest of green. Every so often, we can feel a slight tug on our skin; the telltale sign of a mosquito preying upon us. We don't hesitate to smack them, sealing their fate with a small thump.

Our hands are laced together, the fingers tapping out a faint beat against the other's skin. Aside from several chirping cicadas, we're alone. My mind is silent. Tom is the only thing I'm focusing on.

His big hands, his intoxicating scent, his beautiful eyes… My mind is completely consumed by him.

Shifting onto the side, I rest my head on his slowly rising and falling chest, peering up at him curiously.

"Do you remember when we first got together?" I ask him curiously. One red eye, previously closed, opens and peers down at me, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Utterly dreadful," he recalls fondly. "We were here, weren't we?"

"Yes," I agree, smiling. Tom may pretend to be disgusted, but I know he's just as happy as I am.

"Ugh, I told you I loved you," he groans in faux embarrassment. Laughing, I lean up to kiss him lightly on the kiss.

"You can't forget what happened after that, Mr. Riddle," I say, wiggling my eyebrows. Tom finally laughs, the sound carefree.

"Yes, we made love, right here," he recounts, happily tapping the ground. "You had been so adorable whining and begging like that…"

"Shut up!" I hiss, blushing. Tom chuckles. I can't deny how much I love it when he laughs.

"Would you like to bond with me again, Harry Potter?" Tom asks after a while. Groaning in relief, I launch myself forward, covering his entire frame.

"I thought you'd never ask!" I exclaim.

Amidst Tom's delighted chuckles and my own loud guffaws, I know I'll never forget this day.

* * *

 **Word Count: 332**


	3. Spell (Lucius x Severus)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Lucius x Severus**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **3\. Spell**

 _November 22, XXXX,_

 _I'm falling. The madness of the war is crushing me, creating nothing but debris in its wake. My best friend, Lily, has fallen for the charms of another. My precious mother, Eileen, has fallen for a muggle, Tobias. The man is abusive, yet she refuses to see it. He taunts me cruelly, uses me whenever he sees fit. I'm drowning, yet no one is around to save me. Bullies are everywhere I go, waiting to cause me even more harm. There has never been anyone who could see through me, has never been anyone who could save me, until now._

 _Lucius Malfoy, the heir to the Malfoy fortune, has recently sought to grow closer to me. At first, I had been resilient. I had no interest in befriending someone who would inevitably hurt me, but Lucius would not give up. Every day, the man would seek me out, bugging me and bugging me until I would snap. Even then, he wouldn't leave for long. Within the hour, he'd be back, his infuriating smirk back in place._

 _Soon, I had grown to expect it. Lucius Malfoy had become a constant inside of my life, and I had grown attached to him. Foolishly, I had fallen under his spell. If only I had remembered the lessons ingrained in me since birth… If only I had remembered the betrayal that made me who I was…_

Frowning, Harry turns to another entry.

 _December 1, XXXX,_

 _"I love you," Lucius whispered to me. Even now, I'm shocked. How can Lucius possibly love me? Doesn't he know that I'm sullied? Doesn't he know that there is no happy end game for me? My path only has darkness and despair. There is no light. How can he possibly expect to be happy?_

 _"Let me warm you, my love," he told me, when I had asked. "You can be happy. You just have to let me help you."_

 _I hadn't wanted to give in, but he smiled at me encouragingly. Hesitantly, I gave in. We made love right then and there, his smooth voice whispering sweet nothings in my ear. For the first time in a long time, I had felt happy. Love, something that had seemed so foreign to me, had finally graced me with its warm presence. Perhaps, my future isn't as dark as I thought?_

Harry smiles, turning to the next entry. Slowly, his smile fades away.

 _January 31, XXXX,_

 _I knew it! All along, I had known no good could have come from this. Lucius, the wretched man, had lied to me all along, and, like a fool, I had believed him. I'm loathe to admit this. Even now, it brings me great embarrassment and sorrow._

 _By now, we've been together for ten years. We've experienced many highs and lows with one another. Lucius had truly seen me for who I was, and I had saw him for who he was. We were happy. …Well, at least I thought we were._

 _One day, upon returning to the estate, I had found Lucius in bed. The man had been buried balls deep in some harlot, the whore moaning obscenely underneath him. Lucius' face had been flush, his silver eyes closed in euphoria. That's all it had taken for me to lose it. I didn't hesitate to send a curse zooming in their direction, cackling with vindictive glee as it missed and hit the headboard. As if burned by the flames of hell, the two sprung apart, sending shocked looks in my direction._

 _A part of me still wished that this wasn't happening, but when I saw Lucius' wide eyes, I knew what had happened. Caught between fury, embarrassment, and disbelief, I was oblivious to the departure of the harlot. All I could do was stare, my mouth agape._

 _"Why?" I remember asking, my voice shaking. Lucius had looked at me, his face ashen._

 _"I'm sorry," he whispered. "This wasn't supposed to happen. One thing led to another and – Severus!"_

 _I hadn't waited to see what else he was going to say. I had fled, my cloak billowing angrily behind me. I had been hurt and embarrassed beyond belief. How could Lucius have done that to me?_

 _Didn't he love me?_

Abruptly, Harry stops reading. Tears are burning in his eyes, and he can't help but reach up to wipe them away.

"Tragic, isn't it?" a voice asks. Jumping, Harry turns to find Snape standing right in front of him, the man's hand on his hip.

"U-uh, Professor," Harry stammers, attempting to come up with an excuse.

"Save it," Snape says, walking further into the room. "I knew you would find that section inside of the book."

"Isn't it personal?" Harry asks, unsure.

"Yes," Snape says, no hesitation to be found, "but I figured it would offer you insight as to why I act the way I do."

"Why?"

"Once upon a time, I had been like you. Abused and neglected. I had been an outcast, and now that I know that you had to deal with something similar, I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."

"Professor…" Harry trails off, astounded. Snape smiles, amused.

"Potter," Snape retorts. "If you take anything from this lesson, let it be this: Do not become a pushover like me. Be strong enough to not depend on anyone for anything. Do you understand?"

At Harry's nod, Snape heads back to the door and walks away, leaving a bewildered Harry behind.

* * *

 **Word Count: 918**


	4. Enchant (Rowena x Helga)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Rowena x Helga**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **4\. Enchant**

Outside of the castle, the wind howls furiously. Thunder booms in the sky, bright blurs of light streaking across the vast ocean of blue.

Inside of the castle, house elves scurry about, attempting to clean the big building. In their chambers, Godric and Salazar reside, the two of them resting side by side, their fingers intertwined.

Rowena and Helga; however, are inside of the Astronomy Tower. Together, they watch as the sky is illuminated. Their fingers are laced together, and Helga's head rests lightly on Rowena's stomach.

"It's beautiful," Rowena mumbles. "It matches the predictions the muggles made perfectly."

"Why does this interest you?" Helga asks softly. Rowena turns to look at her, her blue eyes glazed over in wonder.

"It's enchanting," she breathes. "The way the lightening contrasts perfectly with the blue of the sky; the way the thunder acts as a beckoning call. It's perfect in every way."

Helga pouts, looking at the sky with jealousy.

"Don't worry, my love," Rowena says, catching on. Tenderly, she grasps the other woman's cheek and looks straight into golden eyes. "You are far more beautiful than this sky."

Helga blushes and ducks her head, embarrassed that she had been caught. Looking up shyly, she gently presses a kiss onto Rowena's temple. Before the raven can respond, she pushes the other back until she reclines, reclaiming her spot pressed against the other woman's side.

"Be quiet," she mumbles. "Enjoy the bloody stars."

Rowena does so, but not before she laces their fingers together.

"I love you," she whispers softly, watching as the sky is streaked with purple. Helga smiles and whispers back, "I love you too."

Among the storm, the two lay, peacefulness surrounding them.

* * *

 **Word Count: 285**


	5. Great Hall (Draco x Luna)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Draco x Luna**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **5\. Great Hall**

Long, blonde hair falls to her shoulders, framing her lovely face. Doe-like gray eyes peer out into the world, captivating all who gaze into their inky depths. Pale, white skin gleams in the artificial light, entrancing him to the point of destruction.

Luna Lovegood is a beautiful girl, and Draco can't help but gulp. Ever since he had first seen the Ravenclaw, he had been intrigued. Unlike the other girls, Luna had been _real_. The blonde didn't put on airs. What you saw was what you got, and Draco _loved_ that.

He loved how she said the craziest things, loved how she peered into a world unlike his wildest imaginations. Luna was mystifying in a good way. She intrigues him, and unconsciously _beckons_ him like a siren does her prey.

All in all, he was captivated by her. That's why, Draco reasons, he should have known he'd have ended up in this predicament.

* * *

~~o-O-o~~

* * *

He's in the Great Hall, watching Luna from the safety of his table. Everything had been going great until Blaise, having noticed his blatant staring, had dared him to go speak to the object of his affections. Draco, ever the prideful man, had acquiesced his fellow Slytherin.

Confidently, he stood up from his seat and made his way towards the Ravenclaw table. It wasn't until he was halfway there that it hit him. For the first time, he was going to speak to his beloved. What if Luna didn't like him? What if she thought him to be crazy, Death Eater scum? What if she pretended to be interested, all the while laughing in her head?

Paling at every thought, Draco was almost a blubbering mess by the time he reached her table. However, all his turmoil was only on the inside. On the outside, he appeared to be calm and collected – his inner crises being skillfully hidden away. Softly, he clears his throat.

Luna looks up, her blonde curls swinging slightly because of the motion. Big, gray eyes peer into his own, curiosity within their depths. She stares at him, as if assessing him, and then smiles slowly. Draco watches, captivated, as her lips part to reveal pearly, white teeth.

"Draco," Luna greets. At the sound of her voice, smooth as honey, Draco feels his heart thud in his chest.

"Hi, Luna," he says back. The Ravenclaw hums and waves absently at the seat across from her, beckoning him to sit down. At once, she begins to speak to him. Draco's at a loss for words. Here he is, more nervous than he's ever been, but Luna seems to be totally at peace. The Ravenclaw excludes confidence and unknowingly soothes Draco's frazzled nerves. They fall into conversation easily, their tones hushed but joyful. By the end of dinner, they're both smiling.

"Goodbye, Luna," Draco says, smiling. He rises from his perch, but a hand grasps his wrist. By now, the Hall is mostly empty save for a few lingering students.

"See you soon, Draco," Luna says, leaning forward to chastely press a kiss on his cheek. Satisfied, the Raven leaves, leaving a blushing Draco all by himself.

"How did it go?" Blaise asks, coming to stand by him, a knowing smirk on his face. Draco looks at him, cupping his cheek in wonder. Absently, he can feel the warmth of Luna's lips.

"Wonderful," he breathes. Blaise laughs, hitting him lightly on the head.

"I _so_ want details," he declares. Grasping onto Draco's robe, he pulls the blissed out Slytherin towards the Common Room.

* * *

 **Word Count: 588**


	6. Awaken (Ron x Hermione)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Ron x Hermione**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **6\. Awaken**

Her face is pale, almost ashen in appearance. When I pull her body close, all I feel is the bitter cold.

Distantly, I remember the healers entering the room, telling me that they had to prep the body; Distantly, I remember the doctors attempting to forcibly pull me away from her…

I remember fighting, remember snarling every time they tried to. I remember the tears that fell from my eyes, remember the pain that resonated throughout my body. Distantly, I remember the guilt that coursed through my veins.

I had done this. I had pushed her to the point that she had left the house, had pushed her so hard that death could take her away from me. Harry and my family all look at me in sympathy. They try to console me, try to tell me that everything is going to be okay, but it's _not_.

How can things be okay when Hermione isn't there? How can I be alright when I can't see her smile, can't see her _laugh?_ How am I going to be able to survive without her guiding me? How will our _children_ live without their mother? Everything's going to change, and Hermione won't be _there_ to help us.

"You'll get over it," they tell me. I _won't._ Hermione was my life, my _soul,_ and without her, I feel _empty._ All I want is for her to awaken, for her to grace me with those lively brown eyes of hers, but she _can't_.

She's gone and she's _never_ coming back. It hurts more than anything in the world. I know it's too late, but, as I hold her to me, I whisper, " _I'm sorry. I love you so much,"_ repeatedly, hoping, _praying,_ that she'll hear it. I didn't mean to get into a fight with her. I didn't mean to abandon her and allow her to be killed by a Death Eater. I _didn't mean it!_

...But Hermione will never know that. She won't know how much I cherish her, how much I _love_ her.

I feel like, with her, a piece of me has died. Perhaps, it did.

* * *

 **Word Count: 356**


	7. Mirror (Parvati x Lavender)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Parvati x Lavender**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

 **7\. Mirror**

 _"You should be afraid," Fenrir Greyback whispered to her. His golden eyes stared at the shaking girl with amusement. "After all, if I were facing a werewolf, I would be too."_

 _"Shut up," Lavender snarled, drawing her wand. "If you won't stop terrorizing my friends, I will make it so you can't."_

 _"Big words for a little girl," Greyback taunts, smirking. Settling into a battle poise, he does a come-hither motion. Lavender, having become fed up with his crap, immediately fires off a spell. Fenrir; however, is too fast for her. He dodged it and ran straight at her, jumping when she threw yet another spell. Before she can protect herself, he pounced on her, his claws digging into the side of her cheek viciously._

 _Harshly, he pulled his hand out of her face, smiling in vindictive glee when blood flowed freely from the wounded appendage._

 _"Can you stop me now?" he taunted. Lavender falls to the ground, screaming loudly as searing pain encased her face. Her vision grew blurry and the thick metallic scent of blood assaulted her. She didn't have long. This, she knew. Amid her panic and confusion, a loud yell echoed across the battlefield._

 _"AVADA KADAVRA!" At once, Greyback fell to the ground, his body lifeless. At the same time, Lavender's vision goes black._

* * *

 _~~o-O-o~~_

* * *

Now, three months later, Lavender stands in her dorm room. The war has ended and their side was victorious. Unfortunately, with the end of the war, came consequences. She, for example, had been graced with a hideous scar. Starting from her forehead, it clawed its way to her neck. It stands out starkly from her all white skin, and she becomes depressed every time she looks inside of the mirror. Even now, as she gazes at her reflection, she traces it with a frown. It's a horrible reminder of what she had went through, a horrible reminder of the fact that she almost _died_. Death had kissed her, threatening to pull her down, yet she had somehow managed to survive.

 _Parvati_.

It had been during the darkness that a battle cry echoed throughout the compound. Parvati, her best friend and secret crush, had saved her from the all-consuming abyss.

Ducking her head, Lavender can't help but blush. She knew the other girl was strong, but _that?_ That had completely exceeded all her expectations. The brown-skinned girl had been stunning. Her long, black hair had swayed in the wind, highlighting the fierce scowl that had marred the Indian beauty's face.

All in all, she had been entrancing, and Lavender can't help but want to be with her. There was just something about her that drew Lavender in. Although she was hideous with her scar, it had been _Parvati_ who had told her she was beautiful. It had been _Parvati_ that had pulled her into a hug and kissed her tears away. It had been _Parvati_ that made her heart beat so fiercely.

Even if Parvati didn't want her, Lavender was content to stay in her little world. If the other Gryffindor talked to her, she'd be content. She needed Parvati in any way she could get her. Lavender won't ask for more. She _can't_.

…At least, that's what she tells herself. Unknown to her, a certain Gryffindor has plans to change that _very_ soon.

* * *

 **Word Count: 552**


	8. Hidden (Tom x Harry)

**Of Dusk and Dawn - 366 Days of Romance and Tragedy**

 **Tom Riddle x Harry Potter**

* * *

 **~~o-O-o~~**

* * *

8\. **Hidden**

Wild, green eyes peer around the corner, the owner shifting restlessly on their feet. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Harry steps out from his place behind a pillar and darts to the other side of the room, making sure to use the wall to shield his back. Distantly, he can hear the soft sound of feet hitting the carpet. It both excites and frightens him. This game they play, while utterly sinful in nature, is something that intrigues him.

In this activity, he's the prey. Should he be caught, he'd be forced to endure unimaginable pain. A part of him is scared. It's scared of the inevitable. Another, more insane part of him, is interested. It wants to know more, wants to experience every bit of pain and relish in it.

The footsteps come closer. By now, Harry's sure that the other is right around the corner. His heart beats loudly within his chest, threatening to drive him crazy. Who is it? Will he die? Will he be tortured? Can he save himself? Will he be able to do anything?

The thoughts swirl around in his head, threatening to consume him, until the moment finally comes. A pale hand darts out, grabs Harry, and pulls him around the corner.

The only thing that can be heard next is a loud scream.

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, is now dead.

* * *

 **Word Count: 228**


End file.
